This invention relates generally to the field of multimedia record and playback devices, and more particularly to such devices which incorporate digitally stored multimedia data on a stationary or removable memory and playback device which can convert the stored data into audible sound and visible video images.
Historically, radio and television have been the major audio and video content providers to the general population. Both radio and television provide the listener/viewer with a selection of programming directed at different preferences and tastes. Unfortunately, listener/viewers have very little, if any, input into the broadcast formats selected by the radio stations and television networks. As such, the listener/viewer's optional programming choices are limited to the number and different formats played by local radio stations and national television networks.
Because of these and other limitations of music and video broadcasting, cassette players, compact disc (CD) players, video cassette recorders (VCR) and digital video disks  (DVD) have become very popular. These devices allow the listener/viewer to select and control the type and frequency of music and video content they desire to listen to or watch at any given moment. However, several drawbacks to these devices include that the listener/viewer must individually purchase the cassette tapes, CDs, videotapes or DVDs which also have limited storage capacity. Likewise, the listener/viewer must transport a large number of cassettes, CDs, videotapes or DVDs to provide a range of musical and video selections.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,132, entitled System For Synchronizing Playback Of Recordings And Display By Networked Computer Systems, discloses entertainment content complementary to a musical recording being delivered to a user's computer by means of a computer network link. The user employs a browser to access the computer network. A plug-in for the browser is able to control an audio CD or other device for playing the musical recording. A script stored on the remote computer accessed over the network is downloaded. The script synchronizes the delivery of the complementary entertainment content with the play of the musical recording. However, this patent does not teach transferring of information related to a particular user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,302, entitled System For Managing A Plurality Of Computer Jukeboxes, discloses a method and apparatus for managing a plurality of computer jukeboxes at different locations from a central station. Each jukebox includes processor means for controlling the computer jukebox, storage and retrieval means for data, display means for selection menus, audio production means for playing musical records, and a user interface enabling patrons to communicate with the processor means. However, substantially identical information related to a particular user are not synchronized and stored in all the zones in this patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,566, entitled Customizable Media Player With Online/Offline Capabilities, discloses an information dissemination system comprises an Internet-connected server adapted for gathering information from plural sources, and sorting the information according to subscriber preferences. The sorted information is transmitted via the Internet to a subscriber's Internet Applicance (IA) as electronic documents, where the documents are downloaded to a connected playback device. However, this patent does not teach a local area network (LAN) for coupling a central storage and interface device with a zone specific storage and interface device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,142, entitled Method And System For Using A Communication Network To Supply Targeted Streaming Advertising In Interactive Media, discloses a system and method for delivering programmed music and targeted advertising messages to Internet based subscribers includes a software controlled microprocessor based repository in which the dossiers of a plurality of the subscribers are stored and updated, musical content and related advertising are classified and matched. A subscriber has an appropriate microprocessor based device capable of selecting information and receiving information from the Internet. The subscriber receives the programmed music and matched advertisements from the repository over the Internet. However, this patent does not teach user specific synchronization, or LAN based communication network.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,076, entitled Audio Program Player Including A Dynamic Program Selection Controller, discloses an audio program and message distribution system in which a host system organizes and transmits program segments to client subscriber locations. The host organizes the program segments by subject matter and creates scheduled programming in accordance with preferences associated with each subscriber. Program segments are associated with descriptive subject matter segments, and the subject matter segments may be used to generate both text and audio cataloging presentations to enable the user to more easily identify and select desirable programming. However, this patent does not teach user specific information including substantially identical information at each zone wherein the user can access the information without any further communication between the zones. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,624, entitled Digital Information Library And Delivery System With Logic For Generating Files Targeted To The Playback Device, does not teach the same either.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,119, entitled Method For Streaming Transmission Of Compressed Music, discloses an Internet high fidelity audio transmission and compression protocol including a system for representing synthesized music in a relatively small file as compared to digital recording. The protocol includes a method for streaming the transmission of a music data file from a Server-Composer computer such that the music can begin being played back as soon as the file begins to arrive at a Client-Player computer. The system includes a graduated resolution improvement feature which allows the music to be recreated exactly as originally composed as the necessary wavetable data is downloading in the background and the music continues to play in the foreground. However, this patent does not teach using LAN as a means for transfer of information.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,815, entitled Media-On-Demand Communication System And Method Employing Direct Access Storage Device, discloses a method of transmission in discrete form between a vender and a user. However, this patent does not teach the user accessing substantially identical information at a plurality of zones. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,442, entitled System for Distributing Subscription and On-Demand Audio programming does not teach the same.
Therefore it is desirous to have a consumer digitally encode their entire audio, video, and photographic collections to be stored on multimedia storage devices, and have the entire collection synchronized automatically by having the devices communicate to and from each other so that the content is available in multiple locations or zones that the consumer may go. These may include devices such as personal computers located in other rooms or other locations (for example summer home, car, yacht, etc.), or on an online server/website/database. It is preferable to have the content locally stored so that interruptions and skips associated with streaming content over the network does not occur. Additionally, should the storage device such as a hard drive of one unit fails, then the other devices still have complete copies of the content collection to easily replace the failed unit.
In light of these considerations, it is an object of this invention to provide a multimedia player device and system which is capable of storing a relatively large amount of digital multimedia programming, whether audio or video, with relatively instant access to any piece of stored data for playback, where the stored data may be replaced with new data when the desires of the user change. It is a further object to provide such a device and system where the transfer of data to the multimedia player device is accomplished through alternative communication means, such that the user can choose from a vast array of data encompassing all formats of audio and video programming and can choose to synchronize the multimedia player device with other multimedia devices on a network for the upload and download of multimedia content from connected network devices.